WORM_VBNA.WTP

 Analysis by: Erika Bianca Mendoza

 PLATFORM:

Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 DAMAGE POTENTIAL:
 DISTRIBUTION POTENTIAL:
 REPORTED INFECTION:

  • Threat Type: Worm

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: No

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Propagates via instant messaging applications, Propagates via removable drives

This worm is capable of backdoor commands.

Depending on the commands received from the server, it may terminate processes related to security. It may also modify the contents of %System%\drivers\etc\HOSTS to prevent the user from accessing security-related websites.

This worm arrives by connecting affected removable drives to a system. It may be dropped by other malware. It may be unknowingly downloaded by a user while visiting malicious websites.

It drops copies of itself into all the removable drives connected to an affected system. It drops an AUTORUN.INF file to automatically execute the copies it drops when a user accesses the drives of an affected system.

It connects to Internet Relay Chat (IRC) servers. It executes commands from a remote malicious user, effectively compromising the affected system. However, as of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

Ports:

TCP 6667 (IRCU)

File Size:

81920 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

11 Aug 2011

Payload:

Compromises system security, Connects to URLs/IPs, Downloads files, Bypasses Windows Firewall, Terminates processes

Arrival Details

This worm arrives by connecting affected removable drives to a system.

It may be dropped by other malware.

It may be unknowingly downloaded by a user while visiting malicious websites.

Installation

This worm drops the following copies of itself into the affected system and executes them:

  • %Application Data%\hidserv.exe

(Note: %Application Data% is the current user's Application Data folder, which is usually C:\Windows\Profiles\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 98 and ME, C:\WINNT\Profiles\{user name}\Application Data on Windows NT, and C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000, XP, and Server 2003.)

It adds the following mutexes to ensure that only one of its copies runs at any one time:

  • TTURJEJDKDF62432DJASDJSDMSDL

Autostart Technique

This worm adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Windows Update System = "%Application Data%\hidserv.exe"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Windows Update System = "%Application Data%\hidserv.exe"

Other System Modifications

This worm creates the following registry entry(ies) to bypass Windows Firewall:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\
Services\SharedAccess\Parameters\
FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\
List
Windows Update System = "%Application Data%\hidserv.exe"

Propagation

This worm drops copies of itself into all the removable drives connected to an affected system.

It drops an AUTORUN.INF file to automatically execute the copies it drops when a user accesses the drives of an affected system.

The said .INF file contains the following strings:

[AutoRun]
open={random}\{random}.exe
icon=%SystemRoot%\system32\SHELL32.dll,4
action=Open folder to view files
shell\open\command={random}\{random}.exe
shell\open\default=1

It sends the following messages via instant-messaging (IM) applications:

Have you seen this? lol! {URL}
olhar para esta lol! {URL}
spojrzec na lol! {URL}
vejte se na mou lol! {URL}
guardare quest lol! {URL}
You know someone tried to kill obama today!? {URL}
bekijk deze lol! {URL}
mira esta lol! {URL}
schau mal das lol! {URL}
regardez cette lol! {URL}

It sends messages that contain links to sites hosting remote copies of itself using the following instant-messaging (IM) applications:

  • Windows Live Messenger

Backdoor Routine

This worm opens the following port(s) where it listens for remote commands:

  • 6667

It connects to any of the following Internet Relay Chat (IRC) servers:

  • {BLOCKED}2.{BLOCKED}7.82.177

It joins any of the following IRC channel(s):

  • #Ganja

It executes the following commands from a remote malicious user:

  • KillAv
  • update
  • clean
  • visit
  • speedtest
  • ddoser

However, as of this writing, the said sites are inaccessible.

NOTES:

It is capable of the following backdoor commands:

  • update - performs malware update
  • clean - removes the malware from the affected system
  • visit - accesses a given URL to download and execute another file
  • speedtest - accesses the following URL for speedtest: http://speedtestfile.com/10mb.bin
  • ddoser - performs UDP flooding on specified ports
  • KillAv - terminates processes

Depending on the commands received from the server, it may terminate the following processes related to security:

  • mcafee.exe
  • kaspersky.exe
  • ccsvchst.exe
  • norton.exe
  • avp.exe

It may also modify the contents of %System%\drivers\etc\HOSTS to prevent the user from accessing security-related websites:

  • 127.0.0.1 www.virustotal.com
  • 127.0.0.1 www.pandasoftware.com
  • 127.0.0.1 www.norton.com
  • 127.0.0.1 www.nod32.com
  • 127.0.0.1 www.microsoft.com
  • 127.0.0.1 www.macafee.com
  • 127.0.0.1 www.kaspersky-labs.com
  • 127.0.0.1 www.hotmail.com
  • 127.0.0.1 www.download.mcafee.com
  • 127.0.0.1 pandasoftware.com
  • 127.0.0.1 norton.com
  • 127.0.0.1 nod32.com
  • 127.0.0.1 microsoft.com
  • 127.0.0.1 macafee.com
  • 127.0.0.1 bitdefender.com
  • 127.0.0.1 www.virusscan.jotti.org
  • 127.0.0.1 www.viruslist.com
  • 127.0.0.1 www.virscan.org
  • 127.0.0.1 www.trendmicro.com
  • 127.0.0.1 www.symantec.com
  • 127.0.0.1 www.sophos.com
  • 127.0.0.1 www.networkassociates.com
  • 127.0.0.1 www.nai.com
  • 127.0.0.1 www.my-etrust.com
  • 127.0.0.1 www.mcafee.com
  • 127.0.0.1 www.kaspersky.com
  • 127.0.0.1 www.grisoft.com
  • 127.0.0.1 www.f-secure.com
  • 127.0.0.1 www.ca.com
  • 127.0.0.1 www.avp.com
  • 127.0.0.1 virustotal.com
  • 127.0.0.1 virusscan.jotti.org
  • 127.0.0.1 viruslist.com
  • 127.0.0.1 virscan.org
  • 127.0.0.1 us.mcafee.com
  • 127.0.0.1 updates.symantec.com
  • 127.0.0.1 update.symantec.com
  • 127.0.0.1 trendmicro.com
  • 127.0.0.1 threatexpert.com
  • 127.0.0.1 symantec.com
  • 127.0.0.1 sophos.com
  • 127.0.0.1 securityresponse.symantec.com
  • 127.0.0.1 secure.nai.com
  • 127.0.0.1 scanner.novirusthanks.org
  • 127.0.0.1 rads.mcafee.com
  • 127.0.0.1 networkassociates.com
  • 127.0.0.1 nai.com
  • 127.0.0.1 my-etrust.com
  • 127.0.0.1 mcafee.com
  • 127.0.0.1 mast.mcafee.com
  • 127.0.0.1 liveupdate.symantecliveupdate.com
  • 127.0.0.1 liveupdate.symantec.com
  • 127.0.0.1 kaspersky.com
  • 127.0.0.1 kaspersky-labs.com
  • 127.0.0.1 f-secure.com
  • 127.0.0.1 download.mcafee.com
  • 127.0.0.1 dispatch.mcafee.com
  • 127.0.0.1 customer.symantec.com
  • 127.0.0.1 ca.com
  • 127.0.0.1 avp.com

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

8.900

Step 1

For Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 users, before doing any scans, please make sure you disable System Restore to allow full scanning of your computer.

Step 2

Terminate a malware/grayware process

[ Learn More ]

*Note: If the detected process is not displayed in theWindows Task Manager, continue doing the next steps.

     hidserv.exe

Step 3

Delete this registry value

[ Learn More ]

Important: Editing the Windows Registry incorrectly can lead to irreversible system malfunction. Please do this step only if you know how or you can ask assistance from your system administrator. Else, check this Microsoft article first before modifying your computer's registry.

  • In KEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • Windows Update System = %Application Data%\hidserv.exe
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • Windows Update System = %Application Data%\hidserv.exe
  • In HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SharedAccess\
    Parameters\FirewallPolicy\StandardProfile\AuthorizedApplications\List
    • Windows Update System = %Application Data%\hidserv.exe

Step 4

Remove these strings added by the malware/grayware/spyware in the HOSTS file

[ Learn More ]
    127.0.0.1 www.virustotal.com
    127.0.0.1 www.pandasoftware.com
    127.0.0.1 www.norton.com
    127.0.0.1 www.nod32.com
    127.0.0.1 www.microsoft.com
    127.0.0.1 www.macafee.com
    127.0.0.1 www.kaspersky-labs.com
    127.0.0.1 www.hotmail.com
    127.0.0.1 www.download.mcafee.com
    127.0.0.1 pandasoftware.com
    127.0.0.1 norton.com
    127.0.0.1 nod32.com
    127.0.0.1 microsoft.com
    127.0.0.1 macafee.com
    127.0.0.1 bitdefender.com
    127.0.0.1 www.virusscan.jotti.org
    127.0.0.1 www.viruslist.com
    127.0.0.1 www.virscan.org
    127.0.0.1 www.trendmicro.com
    127.0.0.1 www.symantec.com
    127.0.0.1 www.sophos.com
    127.0.0.1 www.networkassociates.com
    127.0.0.1 www.nai.com
    127.0.0.1 www.my-etrust.com
    127.0.0.1 www.mcafee.com
    127.0.0.1 www.kaspersky.com
    127.0.0.1 www.grisoft.com
    127.0.0.1 www.f-secure.com
    127.0.0.1 www.ca.com
    127.0.0.1 www.avp.com
    127.0.0.1 virustotal.com
    127.0.0.1 virusscan.jotti.org
    127.0.0.1 viruslist.com
    127.0.0.1 virscan.org
    127.0.0.1 us.mcafee.com
    127.0.0.1 updates.symantec.com
    127.0.0.1 update.symantec.com
    127.0.0.1 trendmicro.com
    127.0.0.1 threatexpert.com
    127.0.0.1 symantec.com
    127.0.0.1 sophos.com
    127.0.0.1 securityresponse.symantec.com
    127.0.0.1 secure.nai.com
    127.0.0.1 scanner.novirusthanks.org
    127.0.0.1 rads.mcafee.com
    127.0.0.1 networkassociates.com
    127.0.0.1 nai.com
    127.0.0.1 my-etrust.com
    127.0.0.1 mcafee.com
    127.0.0.1 mast.mcafee.com
    127.0.0.1 liveupdate.symantecliveupdate.com
    127.0.0.1 liveupdate.symantec.com
    127.0.0.1 kaspersky.com
    127.0.0.1 kaspersky-labs.com
    127.0.0.1 f-secure.com
    127.0.0.1 download.mcafee.com
    127.0.0.1 dispatch.mcafee.com
    127.0.0.1 customer.symantec.com
    127.0.0.1 ca.com
    127.0.0.1 avp.com
"

Step 5

Search and delete AUTORUN.INF files created by WORM_VBNA.WTP that contain these strings

[ Learn More ]


[AutoRun]
open={random}\{random}.exe
icon=%SystemRoot%\system32\SHELL32.dll,4
action=Open folder to view files
shell\open\command={random}\{random}.exe
shell\open\default=1

Step 6

Scan your computer with your Trend Micro product to delete files detected as WORM_VBNA.WTP. If the detected files have already been cleaned, deleted, or quarantined by your Trend Micro product, no further step is required. You may opt to simply delete the quarantined files. Please check this Knowledge Base page for more information.

NOTES:

RECOMMENDATIONS

This malware is detected and removed by the latest Trend Micro anti-malware engine and pattern. Always keep pattern files and engines up-to-date. To know more about updating your Trend Micro product's pattern, please refer to the following Trend Micro support page:


Note: The steps apply for specific products indicated in the page.

To actively detect and protect your machine, enable real-time scanning of your Trend Micro anti-malware product. Refer to the following Trend Micro support page to know more about enabling real-time scanning in your Trend Micro product:

To enable Firewall to protect against threats: How to enable or disable the Personal Firewall of Trend Micro EN 1038273

  • Block malware related websites.
  • Regularly update list of trusted sites.
  • Avoid visiting un-trusted sites that may redirect or download malware into the system.
  • Disable AutoPlay to avoid automatic execution of executable files in removable/network drives.
  • Disconnect drives when not needed.
  • If write access is not required, enable read-only mode only.


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